Function of the Ministry and that particular Order whereby in this or that society he is to execute this Function Which distinction as I said before serveth not onely for a very good answer to the Brownists that deny Lecturers to be true Ministers but likewise to justifie against the Non-conformists the execution of the Ministerial Function by this order of Deacons And indeed if it be considered the very term 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Scripture doth signfie one that ministers to another in a degree above him Saith our Saviour He that will be greatest amongst you let him be your Deacon in the Original And in this sense the supreme Magistrate being under God and serving in a place below him yet above the people he is called Rom. 13. The Deacon of God And there is some hint for this even out of 1 Tim. 3. he that diaconiseth it well gets himself a * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 compar'd with the Arabick Syâ—ack doth much confirm this sense good degree Implying that this Order of Deaconship is preparatory to further degrees of order in the Ministry viz. such as I have before quoted were executed in the Church in St. Jeromes time that is of Presbyter and Bishop Sect. 3. The ground therefore of this mistake I humbly conceive lyeth in this Plea 27. In that they call this order of Deacon to be an office of the Ministry called the Deacon whereas according to Mr. Ball in the title of Lecturers saith it is only that order in which the Ministerial Function is executed Therefore it may be fitly said of the Deacon the acceptation of whose name in the Scripture doth much justifie his imployment according to the practice of the Church of Engl. viz. what Mr. Nicholls saith is to be in helping the Priest in Divine Service c. And thus now having considered of these three great impediments to subscription in Queen Elizabeths time with whatsoever I have met with in the Writings of the ew Non-conformists in these times I hope it will appear to all sober Christians what I at first propounded to evidence upon inquiry That Subscription to all the 39. Articles the book of Common prayer and to all the rites and ceremonees there in is lawful and warrantable and may be done without sin Sect. 4. As to all the particular exceptions not here spoken to against several passages in the Common prayer and Rites of Administration mustered together in the Discourse of Liturgies I shall for brevities sake forbear to answer particularly having answered all by taking away the nail upon which they all hang. For whosoever shall seriously review that Discourse and observe his proofs may find that Mr. Nicholls argument against Deacons because their description in every circumstance is not to be found in the Word of God is brought in not onely against forms of prayer in this present Liturgy but all the circumstantial and ceremonial parts therein they are reducible to no command No warrant in the Word to use or stand up at Gloria Patri and the Creed no warrant to kneel at the Communion for the people to answer the Priest in prayer as in the Letany and other responds c. with more of that kind many of which I believe might be warranted from Scripture particularly and such as are included in general Texts thereof I desire therefore this may be considered that the Scripture is no way to be accused of insufficiency because that there are not particular commands for every mode in Worship for every order rite and ceremony in divine Administrations neither are they who command or they which obey and conform to the use of them to be accused of superstition and Will-worship My reasons for it besides what I have said before being the same both from Reverend Mr. Calvin and Mr. Ball before quoted which were very good in their dayes and are like to stand so while Christ hath a visible Church upon earth Sect. 5. Now before I go off from this subject I hope I may do good service in this momentous business to offer to your consideration the use that the pious and Learned Mr. Randall in his Lectures of the Church teacheth us to make of what hath been the subject of my Discourse being co-incident with his Saith he pag. 148. If we live in a Church where such things are ordained which are not simply unlawful we must take heed that we resist not this power or the things thereby ordained 1. This is the first rule and the Lord encline our hearts to keep it as a means to this followeth another 2. We must bridle our selves from distike this is the second unto which it should seem we are naturally subject even to dislike the commands of our Superiours about things not determined by God in his Word 3. But thirdly saith he bridle thy self specially from refusal Good men had need to have an especial care of themselves and that by the severe commands of God they bridle themselves from disobedience to the lawful commands of men Write therefore this golden saying of Reverend Calvin upon your hearts Nihil humano ingenio magis adversum est quam subjectio vere enim illud olim dictum est regis animum quemque intra se habere Calvin 1 Pet. 5.5 There is nothing to which the wit of man is more averse then subjection and therefore do men naturally bend their wits and parts in disputing the commands of their Superiors what is said of old is very true Every man hath within himself the heart of a King he would rule but not obey Follow therefore let us the counsel of this holy man especially to bridle our selves from refusal But yet saith he in the next place which I name the fourth Direction 4. Yield with some perswasion of conscience Sect. 6. For though we may not refuse to yield obedience in matters simply lawful in themselves yet every one is to yield with some perswasion of conscience it being surely a very dangerous thing for fear or any carnal respect to act doubtingly Considering therefore that scrupulous persons about doubtful things to them commanded by lawful Authority are in so great a strait that if they yield obedience doubtingly they sin if they do not conform they sin some perswasion of conscience is absolutely necessary Sect. 7. Now that which must perswade the conscience of the lawfulness or unlawfulness of an action either sacred or civil as to the substantials of Gods Worship and our humane converse must be the Word of God rightly understood and applyed And that which must perswade the conscience in circumstantials referring to the duties of the first and second Table not determined by God or left to our own liberty must be the Laws and commands of our superiors which though they bind the conscience yet not absolutely as the Law of God doth but relatively with respect to those general precepts which command us to yield obedience for conscience sake
Sect. 7. I beseech you therefore for the Lords sake do not dispute your selves out of the Exercise of your Ministey do not bring your selves in trouble needlesly and thereby trouble the peace of the Church It is a very strange conclusion in my simple judgment That because there needeth no Law to make that which is neither commanded or fo bidden to be indifferent Five Disput. pag. 437. that therefore it is not lawful to make any thing the Subjects duty by a command that is meerly indifferent but that indifferent things must be left for us to use or not to use at cu own liberty Sect. 8. I beseech you all consider but what is said Five Disput. page 439. to this purpose If God have left us this liberty Men should not take that liberty from us without great cause and without some accidental good that is like to come by depriving us of that liberty and that good must be greater then the accidental evil To all which I do fully agree and offer to consideration whether what I have said all this time that the liberty that God hath left us in private whether we will use a form or no form in Prayer being taken away at sometimes onely in publick for I am of the mind of K. Charles the First of blessed Memory in his Meditation on the Ordinance against the Common prayer though I am for Common prayer before Preaching That yet there is use of a grave modest discreet and humble use of the Ministers gifts even in publick the better to fit and excite their own and the peoples affections I say whether this liberty is not taken away without great cause viz. for the Peace of the Church which was the cause why the liberty of eating Bloud c. was taken away from the Gentile Christians Acts 15. Sect. 9. And that the accidental good which is like to be by Uniformity is greater then the accidental evil which is the depriving us of our liberty so that as Mr. Calvin saith the Pastor in his Function may not lawfully depart from that Form and those Rites appointed which he had liberty to do before Will evidently appear not onely by what I have said of Obedience to the Act of Vniformity as the way to Unity but also by what you may find in the Five Disput. amongst those many reasons which are there given for Obedience in lawful things such as a Form of Prayer the significant gestures of standing at the profession of our Faith and the Surplice c. as you will find in the said Disputations if I have not forgot what I have there read are there granted to be lawful Sect. 10. If I mistake not amongst those reasons beginning at pag. 483. which are all very good ones and I desire may be laid to heart in this juncture of time I find pag. 487. reason 10. That by this disobedience in things lawful the Members of the Church will be involved in contentions and so engaged in bitter uncharitableness and censures and persecutions and reproaches one of another which scandalous courses will nourish Vice dishonour God rejoyce the Enemies grieve the Godly that are peaceable and judicious and wound the Consciences of the contenders We see the beginning of such fires are small but whether they will tend and what will be the end of them we see not Sect. 11. Now if the preventing of every one of these sinful evils be not a greater good then that accidental evil before spoken of That which I further offer I desire may be seriously laid to heart As there is nothing as Mr. Calvin saith to which the Wit of man is so averse as subjection so there is nothing to which humane nature is more subject then those sins before-named in Five Disput as Uncharitablenesse and Censoriousness about small matters we have found it so by woful experience both formerly and to this present day It is easie to observe how such as take their liberty as to matters of Conformity that do not wear the same Canonical habit as it is called that are no Common prayer men how are they esteemed by the generality of professors for such that see more into the evil of these things then other men And on the other side how are those which do conform such as are peaceable and judicious how are they condemned and censured by the same persons for Sursingle-men and superstitious temporizers Sect. 12. There being therefore such probable grounds of hope that by a generall obedience to the Act of Vniformity these evils may be remedied these sins suppressed which dishonour God grieve the judicious godly make the Papists to be confirmed in their ill opinion of us for our dissentions occasion others to fall off to them as we find it to be the case of Grotius mentioned Five Disput Upon all these considerations laid together I humbly conceive I have made it evident to all That obedience to the Act for Vniformity is the way to Unity Wherein I have also proved how great the mistake is in the Petition for Peace That the commanding of these unnecessary Impositions have been the cause of all the dissentions and divisions that have been from the beginning of the Reformation of Religion in King Edwards dayes Sect. 13. I shall speak a word or two in order to the inclining of such as are concerned to observe the Act of Vniformity by shewing the great mistake there is as I humbly conceive in what is urged by the Petitioners for peace pag. 15. who there say on the comrary That if these unnecessary Impositions were removed we should enjoy a blessed unity and peace For if the bare removal of these unnecessary Impositions would procure a blessed unity and peace Give me leave to desire you seriously to consider how cometh it about that in all this time of liberty from these Impositions we have been so wofully divided that were so unanimous before against the rites and ceremonies of the Church Sect. 14. Surely had I known so much before the beginning of those troubles as now I know that there was so great a difference and feud between the Non-conformists and the Separatists as now appeareth unto me by their Writings that I have seen between them in the Bishops dayes I should have foreseen by their principles which I gather most clearly in a book set forth by Mr. Simon Ash written by Mr. John Ball against John Can edit 1642. by which book it appeareth that the one sides principles did tend to Independency and the other to Presbytery I say I think verily I should have foreseen that when the Bishops were down great dissentions and divisions would arise amongst themselves Sect. 15. Mow that it did so fall out that they did fall out extremely when Episcopal Government was laid aside is so well known to all the Christian World that I need not fear I should be the first publisher thereof which animosities and divisions and oppositions of each
they may be sure of that Christ as the King of his Church though he hath not commanded as Mr. Baxter well observeth Five Disput pag. 9. In what words I shall pray whether imposed by others or not whether with a Book or foreconceived Form or not Yet he hath commanded obedience and peace Where things therefore of this nature are determined by our Superiors which as Mr. Baxter agreeing with Mr. Ball and the Reverend Calvin saith pag. 8. Had been unfit for Christ to have determined in his Word because his Word is an universal Law for all ages and Countries and these circumstances will not be an universall determination else why could not Christ have done it nay how is his Law perfect else that doth omit is For example God hath commanded us to read the Word preach hear sing which must necessarily be done in some time and place gesture number of words c. But he hath not commanded us on what day of the week our Lecture shall be or at what hour of the day nor what Chapter I shall read nor how many at once nor what Text I shall preach on nor what Psalm I shall sing c These things belonging to a Synod to prescribe for common union and concord amongst many Churches as Mr. Baxter granteth pag. 7. I humbly conceive it is then uncomely and uncharitable for Inferiors to argue that these determinations are unnecessary and but pretences for the Churches Peace and Unity c. pag. 9. But to fix upon this golden sentence of Mr. Baxters in these cases that whatsoever we may be uncertain of yet we may be sure of this that Christ hath commanded Obedience and Peace Obedience in these generall Texts where we are commanded to submit to every Ordinance of man for the Lords sake And Peace in all those pathetical exhortations of his Apostles to follow the things that make for peace putting it in conjunction with that without which we shall never enter in the Kingdom of Heaven Heb. 12.14 Follow peace with all men and holiness without which no man shall see the Lord. Now to work this peaceable frame into our hearts let us now perswade one another that laying aside those usual reflections that we are apt to make upon our Superiors in commanding things which we are apt to judge at best unnecessary seriously to reflect upon our selves and consider what is our present duty I must needs confesse that I have in the midst of our greatest confusions when I was even out of hope that ever we should get out of them often thought how we came to be ingulphed in so much misery And this in my weak observation I gather to be the occasion of our bloudy differences as to the circumstantials of Religion that a violent opposing begat a violent imposing and that again produced a violent opposing till the flame broke out which had well-nigh consumed us To prevent the like again as the case now standeth I am apt to think that we cannot better shew our selves to be children of the everlasting Father the Prince of Peace then by looking most to our selves who are under command and what our present duty is which I find laid down by Mr. Baxter Five Disput pag. 460. Prop. 12. supposing it to be the case whereof we are no competent judges That it may be very sinful to command some Ceremonies that yet it may be the Subjects duty to use them when they are commanded To perswade therefore to that which is the Subjects duty to observe now commanded is my chief undertaking in this following Discourse wherein as I do but follow the example of Mr. Sprint Mr. Paybody and Dr. John Burges who are there approved of for that service Five Disput pag. 461. So I hope you will be so far from judging of me as that you will conjoyn with me to perswade your Ministers that rather then to be deprived of their Ministry and we thereby of the benefit of their labors that they would conform And by way of perswasion let us not onely deal with them by way of argument from what you may find in this poor unpollished piece but also by desiring them to consider what they will find more scholastically written in the Peace-offering a book that I have heard much commended by some learned Ministers but never saw till I had almost finished this plain and homely Discourse and also a most rare discourse newly come forth declaring the Conformity and Agreement of other Reformed Churches beyond Sea with the Church of England To all which let us mind them how far the Apostles did conform for the peace of the Church and propagating of the Gospel even to the use of such Ceremonies as were abolished by the death of Christ Mr. Sprint in his book before mentioned giveth several instances thereof and Mr. Baxter in Five Disput pag. 488. speaketh to the same purpose amongst his 12. reasons to perswade to obedience in lawfull things this is the 11. Consider also what yielding in things lawful the Scripture recommendeth to us how far yielded Paul when he circumcised Timothy Acts 16.3 And when he took the men and purified himself with them in the Temple to signifie the accomplishment of the dayes of purification c. Acts 21.26 27. So also 1 Cor. 9.19 20. I am made all things to all men that I might by all means save some and this I do for the Gospels sake Study this Example saith the learned Mr. Baxter And let us also prevaile with our Ministers to study this passage Five Disput pag. 487 sect 17 Now if that things before accidentally evil may by this much necessity become lawful and a duty then may the commands of Magistrates and Pastors and the unity of the Church and the avoiding of contention and offence and other evils be also sufficient to warrant us in obeying even in inconvenient circumstantials of the Worship of God that otherwise could not be justified Let us also remember them how that Bishop Hooper though as you will find in this Discourse did scruple the Episcopal Habit and wrote to Peter Martyr his Arguments against such Conformity yet he was not so tenacious in his Opinion but that for the peace of the Church he did conform to preach in the said apparel before the King And for this Mr. Fox in the Book of Martyrs pag. 1367. doth commend him for saith he This private contumely and reproach in respect of the publick profit of the Church which he only sought he bare and suffered patiently Let us therefore desire them to remember how ill Christ will take it at their hands at the last day that rather then with this pious Martyr and Bishop Hooper they will lay aside their Opinions and patiently bear the private contumely of their Conformity from some censorious ones they will suffer themselves to be laid aside from the work of the Ministry and thereby hinder the publick profit and benefit which the
conscience sake and for the Lords sake Therefore to declare that it is not lawful to take Arms against the King is warranted and may be done with a safe conscience Sect. 5. And that we may lawfully declare that I do abhor that trayterous position of taking Arms by his Authority against his person or against those that are commissioned by him this is agreeable to Gods word also The Scriptures which command us to honour the King 1 Pet. 3. mean his Person as well as his Authority it is so doubtless in reference to our natural Parents whom we are commanded to honour Command 5. that we honour their Persons as well as their Authority and therefore why not to our political Parents Further if I am to obey those which are commissioned by the King as Supreme That is those that are sent by him if this be our duty 1 Pet. 3. Then to take up Arms against those that are commissioned by him is sinfull and unlawfull Sect. 6. To affirm therefore that the Kings Authority is separable from his person and that I may take up Arms by his Authority against his Person It is High Treason by the Law of the Land and therefore may well be declared to be a trayterous position Sir Edward Coke in the 7. part of his Reports in Calvins Case saith thus fol. 11. In the reign of Edward the second the Spencers the Father and the Son to cover the Treason hatched in their hearts invented this damnable opinion That Homage or Oaths of Allegeance was more by reason of the Kings Crown or Authority then by reason of the person of the King upon which opinion they inferred these execrable and detestable consequences First if the King do not deme in him by reason in the right of the Crown his Lieges are bound by Oath to remove him Secondly seeing the King could not be removed by suit of Law that ought to be done per Aspertee that is by force Thirdly that his Lieges be bound to govern in aid of him and default of him All which were condemned by two Parliaments one in the Reign of Edward the second called Exilium Hugonis le opencer the other by the first of Edward the third chap. 2. all which Articles against the Spencers are confirmed by this last Statute the Article as I have read are extant in the Book called Veter a Statuta Sect. 7. Now if these things be so what manner of persons ought we to be as to our humiliation for what is past as to our obedience and subjection to the known Laws of the Land for the time to come and as to our satisfaction in the present case concerning the not binding power of the Covenant and the lawfulnesse of declaring against the taking up of Arms against the King And thus now having turned my heart in-side outward and shewed you what doth satisfie my conscience and may any other I suppose as to the lawfulness of declaring that I do hold there lyeth no obligation upon me or any other person from the Oath or covenant to endeavour the alteration or change of Government and how the same is in it self an unlawful Oath and imposed upon the subjects of this Realm against the known Laws and liberties of this Kingdom Sect. 8. I humbly conceive the counsel that was given by the Assembly of Divines in their exhortation to the taking of the Covenant is absolutely necessary to be followed which if I mistake not is this That if an Oath should be found into which any Ministers or others have entered not warranted by the Law of God and of the Land in this case they must teach themselves and others that such Oaths call for repentance not pertinacy in them I beseech you therefore if there be any consolation in Christ if any comfort of love if there be in you any compassion and mercy either to your own souls bodies estates with their peace and prosperity or likewise to all these great concerns of others which now lie at hazard by your means think of these things which I have laid before you Sect. 9. You especially who do more peradventure scruple the declaring against the binding power of the Covenant then many called Independents did long ago calling it an Almanack out of date or the Scotch Hook Be pleased to take these things into your calm and Christian consideration you more especially who have not corrupted your consciences by the purchase and possessing your selves of any of the Kings lands in Law called Patrimonium sacrum lex terrae pag. 5. or the Revenues of the Church which is sacriledge so to do Oh take heed that you drive not on the designes of those that we may suspect would fain involve us again in blood that they might lick up again those morsels that they have been forced to disgorge Sect. 10. And let the great concerns of your liberty and opportunity for the exercise of your Ministry for the good of souls the great doubtfulness at least of what you scruple as to the bincing power of the covenant to alter or endeavour a change in the Government of Church or State The assurance that you have to the contrary by the Body politick in this present Act of Parliament prevail with you to incline to what I have here offered to you upon this argument I have prefaced so much of the integrity of my heart and the sincerity of my intentions iâ— this Discourse that I shall now leave it to your consideration Sect. 11. And because that I am apt to believe that there are some amongst us that doe scruple obedience to the use of an imposed form of prayer should this scruple of the Covenant be removed this being greatly argued against by the Author of the Temperate Discourse about Liturgies and forms of prayer c. And also that there are others that though they should yield to the use of a Form yet not the Liturgy of the Church of England being assumed by the Authors of Plus ultra to be Tantum non the Mass-book by Discourse of Liturgies not to be used having been offered up to an Idol c. The Act of Uniformity requiting every Minister pag. 77. to declare That they will conform to the Liturgy of the Clurch of England as it is now by Law established Sect. 12. I shall through Gods assistance proceed by answering what is objected by these two aforesaid Authors make evident the lawfulnesse of Conforming to the Liturgy of the Church of England as it is now established by Law beginning first more generally with what is said by the Author of the Discourse of Liturgies a book which I have heard too much commended by some I much honour And then particularly by removing what is said by Plus ultra against the publick Liturgy as taken out of the Mass-book c. CHAP. VIII That Uniformity in publick Worship by obedience to an Imposed Form is lawful Section 1. COncerning Vniformity in publick Worship I have
402. Sect. 9. and in pag. 405. having granted that God hath not tyed us to any one particular gesture but that it is left to humane prudence to order our gesture by the general rules of order decency and edification in preaching praying hearing singing and whether the Ministers habit be black or white linnen or wollen or of what shape and fashion this he saith is left to humane prudence Sect. 21. pag. 405. and in 406. he that hath commanded us joyfully to sing his praises hath not told us whether we shall use the Meeter or any melodious tune to help us or whether we shall use or not use a Musical instrument or the help of more artificial singers or choristers c. and in Sect. 23. the use of the Ring in Marriage In all these cases it is no usurpation or addition to the word or institution of God for man to determine it is but obeying of Gods commands all these are necessary in their genus and commanded us of God and the species no where by the Word of God determined of c. Sect. 15. Yet in pag. 417. he saith that of all our ceremonies there is none that I have more suspected to be simply unlawful then the Crosse in Baptism The rest as I have said I should have submitted to rather then hinder the Service or Peace of the Church saying pag. 418. yet dare I not peremptorily say it is unlawful nor will I make any disturbance in the Church about it more then my own forbearance which I fear will not be a little considering what is published against the same by these following reasons pag. 418. Sect. 53. This is not saith he the mere circumstance of a duty but a substantial humane Ordinance of Worship c. There must be some time some place some gesture some vesture some utensils but you cannot say that there must be some teaching symbols some mystical signs c. Sect. 16. To which I shall crave leave to reply That I can say so because that I have read so much affirmed by your self pag. 404. Five Disput being as much if I mistake not as the Church of England doth declare For there I find Sect. 18. Though the tongue be the chief instrument yet not the onely instrument to express the mind And though words be the ordinary yet not the onely signs as the Prophets of old were wont by other signs as well as words to prophesie to the people Sect. 19. And therefore I durst not have reproved any of the ancient Christians that used the sign of the Cross meerly as a professing signal action to shew to the Heathen and Jews about them that they believed in a crucifyed Christ and were not ashamed of his Cross Sect. 17. Now I beseech the Christian Reader to consider whether the sign of the Cross so used was not a teaching symbol or a mystical sign And therefore it seemeth strange to me that though this worthy person durst not reprove the ancient Christians for the use of the sign of the Cross yet seemeth to reprove the Church of England upon the same account and no other who do use it onely as a professing signal action who also granteth significant signs warrantable pag. 410. secondarily though not primary speaking of the Surplice Sect. 40. saying he would use that garment if he could not be dispensed with Though secondarily the whitenesse be to signifie purity and so it be made a teaching sign yet would I obey for secondarily we may lawfully and piously make teaching signs of our food and rayment and any thing that we see And if so why not of the sign of the Crosse Sect. 18. Now that the sign of the Crosse is instituted by the Church onely as a teaching sign and that according to Mr. Baxters distinction secondarily and not primary not as a humane sacrament as is said before Sect. 54. I argue first from the words quoted by Mr. Baxter in the Form of Celebration pag. 421. We receive this child into the congregation of Christs flock and do sign him with the sign of the Cross in token that he shall not hereafter be ashamed to confess the faith of Christ crucifyed c. Two things I desire may be observed from hence and then it will appear to be no covenanting sign as is said Sect. 60. pag. 420. Sect. 19. First the order of the use of this ceremony it is after the child is baptized according to Christs own institution by water in the name of the Father Son and Holy Ghost after that the Infant is externally admitted into the covenant by the seal thereof and thereby made a visible Church member Then it followeth We receive this child into the congregation of Christs flock and do sign him with the sign of the Cross But to what end to be an instrument to convey grace No but for the very end that Mr. Baxter durst not reprove any of the ancient Christians that used this sign viz. as a professing signal action that they should not be ashamed to confess the faith of Christ crucified c. So that the secundary end of this ceremony or sign of the Cross being onely a teaching sign to remember us of a moral duty as I have said before The Sacrament of Baptisme it self being the primary one the investing the listing and the covenanting sign The sign of the Cross as I said before being onely a teaching sign of a duty of so much moment that if we perform it not Christ will be ashamed of us before his Father Methinks this should encline all peaceable minds to encline to the use of this ceremony when commanded it being only a sign and token to mind us of a moral duty Sect. 20. But secondly that it is onely and no other then a teaching sign I argue from what I find brought to endeavour to prove the contrary pag. 419. Sect. 57. by those words prefixed before the Common prayer Book of ceremonies where they say That they be not dark and dumb ceremonies but are so set forth that every man may understand what they do mean and to what use they do serve and that they are apt to stir up the dull mind of man to the remembrance of his duty to God by some notable and special signification whereby he might be edifyed This ceremony therefore amongst the rest is declared to be but of that teaching significancy which is allowed in Five Disput. to the Surplice and therefore being onely for the remembrance of so Christian a duty being a means no where forbidden may lawfully be used The Ring in Marriage though acknowledged Five Disput. before quoted to be a symbolical sign and lawful to be used pag. 406. yet I humbly conceive that it is appointed for to remember the party that weareth it of the covenant of her God which she hath entred into with her husband at the publick celebration of Matrimony before many witnesses The engaging covenanting act in the
Now if upon a serious search into Gods blessed Book we find no command of Christ forbidding the command of our Superiours in my poor apprehension the conscience is set at liberty from doubts fears and scruples and the more evidence we have thereof the more perswasion but some you may observe from Mr. Randall is necessary And thus now having presumed to shew how in my weak judgement this fourth Direction of his may be practicable I shall proceed to the next which I reckon his fifth 5. Take such a course whereby thou mayest obey the Magistrate and the Church and yet not offend the weak herein is wisdom Sect. 8. That this may be done that weak Christians that is such who yet know not their Christian liberty concerning these circumstantials in Worship not determined by Gods Word who are apt to judge and censure those Ministers that do conform to the use of these indifferent things which are of the same nature with those matters of offence about meats drinks and dayes that were Rom. 14. that I say weak Christians may not be offended and be delivered from their fears and scruples about sinning against Christ in their own use of the same I humbly conceive that as this weakness hath been much contracted and is much continued by what they have sucked in from the general exhortations of their Teachers against Idolatry superstition and humane inventions in Gods Worship amongst which the things before spoken to have been baptised into that name because reducible to no command So the way to strengthen them is for such Ministers who have not been cleare in their expressions and whose Ministry hath a command of their consciences and affections in other substantial truths plainly to instruct them and inform them in the nature of these things to which they conform and yield obedience Sect. 9. I say did such Ministers who zealously in their preaching set forth the excellency and necessity of Christ of Holiness and Regeneration and of the sinfulness of sin with the like faithfulness present their hearers with the sinfulness of the sin of disobedience to the commands of our Superiours in matters not simply unlawful faithfully shewing them that the best way for to make these things not simply unlawful in themselves not to be so to them is to rectifie their judgements and perswade their consciences as aforesaid And also That the onely cure for our contentions about these lesser things is to mind the substantials of Christs Kingdom indeed Rom. 14. directing them to proportion their zeal more about these things then these poor circumstantial matters in difference Sect 10. I do verily believe that did such Ministers who are holy and unblameable in their lives and powerful in their preaching but make these particulars aforesaid the subject matter of their information of their hearers in the Ministry of the Word and not confound things that differ and in general terms declaime against superstitious inventions of men and additions to Gods Worship c. There would be great hopes through Gods blessing upon on this means that those who now speak evil of those things which they understand not that cannot say as the Apostle Paul in the like case Rom. 14. I know and am perswaded But they are perswaded against indifferent things as sinfull though they have no clear and distinct knowledge of the nature of these things and therefore are but weak in knowledge whatever they may think of themselves They would by this means come to be enlightned to be better informed to understand their christian liberty and so the grounds of their offence and scandall through their weakness would be taken away Sect. 11. And in order to this if I mistake not what the Law of the Land now requireth every Lecturer to do the first time he preacheth before Sermon and also upon the first Lecture-day every moneth pag. 86. may very much comport with the advice aforesaid and together may much conduce to the practice of Mr. Randalls Fifth Direction viz. to take such a course whereby we may neither offend the Magistrate or our weak Brother But what now if this cannot be done but at some Ministers first conforming according to the Act Some Christians till they be better informed will be offended what is to be done in this case This Reverend Person whose memory is precious with many old professors to this day proceedeth further to that which for methods sake I call the sixth Direction pag. 143. 6. Yet rather obey the Magistrate though with offence Sect. 12. And the reason that he gives is this which I desire may be seriously weighed For here disobedience is the greater sin and so takes away the sin of offending the weak and indeed in this case I give no offence because my hands are bound and I have no liberty to do otherwise CHAP. XIV Contains the course that a Minister is to take as to conformity Though scandal be taken by weak brethren in which Chapter the Doctrine of scandal is considered and what is alleadged by the Author of the Temperate Discourse is answered and the Magistrate freed from what is charged upon him under this consideration Section 1. NOw because that much is rapt up in a very few words I shall endeavour to let it into the understandings of weak Brethren by taking them into these proportions 1. First that though to offend the weak in things wherein we are at our liberty be a sin yet when these things come to be commanded by the Magistrate and I obey not here disobedience is the sinne to be laid to heart And the reason is because that though the matter of the command be indifferent yet obedience to that command is an express gospel-Gospel-duty 1 Pet. Rom. 13. c. And therefore as Mr. Randall saith taketh away any just cause of offending the weak 2. Secondly that where Christians are not at liberty being not sui Juris but under the command of their superiors to do those things which are not simply sinful and unlawful and in conforming to their commands I give no offence to my weak brother this may be scandalum acceptum but non datum I give no offence saith Mr. Randal And the reason is because my hands are bound where I am not at my own liberty but for the Peace of the Church the propagating and honour of Religion which is weakned by differences and divisions about modes of Worship c. I am commanded to do such things which may seem to be superstitious or superfluous to weak Christians and they may be scandalized thereat and take offence yet observe what Mr. Randall saith I give none by so doing And therefore what I find concerning the judgement of the Doctors of Aberdeene of old is very confiderable That the scandal of brethren weighs light when put into the scale with the command of Authority Sect. 2. This being the great argument used against Non-conformity in the Treatise of the Discourse of Liturgies